


The Other Paradise

by CypressFields



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, IDOLiSH7 Flash Bang 2019, Implied Psychogenic Amnesia, Just tagging them so some people know what they'll be expecting., You don't have to know what those two are in order to read the fic!, implied dissociative identity disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-07 10:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20307736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CypressFields/pseuds/CypressFields
Summary: Six years ago was when Riku and Tenn were taken to a kingdom's fortress, stripped away from their parents. Years ago Riku was trained to be the king's assassin, to be Kujou's assassin, while Tenn was prince to the throne. For years, Riku had been fighting in dirty battles, mutilating every one of the kingdom's enemies with bloodshed.Feared by others, he was named "Erin".Now, Erin haunts him till this very day. With the help of Tsumugi, he realizes that Erin is much more than he seems.





	The Other Paradise

**Author's Note:**

> Here's one of my pieces for the IDOLiSH7 Flash Bang [(@idolish7bang)](https://twitter.com/idolish7bang) for this year! BIG PROPS to the mods: [Trip](https://twitter.com/tripcreates), [Ghada](https://twitter.com/TsubasaRClover1) and [Kanero](https://twitter.com/Kanero16)!! Thank you so much for your hard work and hosting the i7 Flash Bang once again!!
> 
> It was enjoyable finally writing out this idea and it was especially enjoyable working with my partner, Sol [(@luna_yumizuki)](https://twitter.com/luna_yumizuki)! Their art piece is for this is _incredibly_ pretty, please check it out after you read it and give them some love!!!
> 
> Finally, shout out to [alcloe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alcloe/) (she writes Persona 5 fics!) for being my beta and reading over this fic! <3
> 
> (Psst, [here's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMPX_vgqQnM) the OST this fic is named after, it's The Other Paradise by Glass Animals!)

Riku remembers the mouthwatering smell of his mother's omurice. The scent of flowers wafting through the air outside. His and his family's house always had the unmistakable scent of wood, like they were still freshly cut. He remembers how Tenn's half of their room would smell clean and fresh due to mint leaves growing on top of his bedside as well as how his own half would smell like crisp books, as if he had his own mini library.

The boy’s mother would have a soft voice, always comforting him. His father's chortle, always the brightest star amongst others. Riku and his twin brother would always giggle together whenever they played around the outdoors. The bustling streets of their village square would always be loud. The chirps and squeaks of the wild animals who he had visited at times would remain imprinted in his mind.

The sun would shine its brightest as the two twins danced along the fields. They would hold hands as they wandered around the village and run back home as soon as it got dark. In this old life, the crickets’ chirps and the cicadas’ songs in the night were their lullabies as they grew up. Their mother and father would both kiss them goodnight and Tenn’s singing would be what ended Riku’s nights.

These memories are ruined as Riku remembers the sound of a knock. The small thumps against their wooden door turned into bangs, echoing in the vast chamber of his mind. The creak of the door transformed into a horrendous scream, the hinges sobbing as whoever was outside opened the door.

An unfamiliar man would emerge from the door, his steeled boots caused heavy stomps to vibrate from the front of the room. Riku knows this man well now; he is Takamasa Kujou, king of the kingdom they reside next to. He doesn’t remember what the man was saying at that time. At that point, everything was a blur to the boy. Kujou's steel eyes would move up and down, analyzing him. He remembers being grabbed by the chin by the man and twisted his face as he was checking the boy's features. Riku remembers watching him do the same to his brother as well, which strained his heart. The twins' parents' voices weren't soft and friendly like they always were. They were yelling at the man and their mother's shouts had turned into screams. 

Riku had clutched Tenn's hand with fear. As a young child, he was very confused—he didn't know what was happening and especially why the man came in. He recalls that his parents had looked confused, as well.

Except his brother.

Despite him also clutching Riku's hand, he had never let panic flood into his face. He kept a stoic face on while everything was happening. Riku never knew how and why Tenn was so calm. Then, Kujou had pointed at the pink headed child, as if selecting him for something.

"I will take this child," Kujou said, keeping eye contact with Tenn. 

The younger twin had defended Tenn in a panic, urging the man to pick him. He stepped forward and moved his arm to push the other back. However, his brother immediately stepped in front of him and near Kujou without a word, as if to send a message to the latter to choose him. Riku was even more confused as tears began to drip from his face. Each twin were so willing to sacrifice himself for the other.

Then, Kujou chose the both of them, instead. Despite their parents' objections and yells, what it seems like to be two soldiers stepped into the house and took the both of them. Riku tried so hard not to continue crying as he still clutched Tenn's hand. In front of him was a carriage, which had looked absolutely terrifying to the boy.

Then, he felt his hand forcibly be separated from Tenn's. He cried out for Tenn, yet the other didn't look concerned for one bit. He only leaned toward Riku and whispered, "I’m sorry,” before walking toward the man with his head held up high.

The last thing Riku remembers is his mother's loud sobbing when he and Tenn were taken away by the carriage.

* * *

"Are you listening to me, Erin?" Kujou's sharp voice cuts through Riku's daze. The latter decides to reminisce later. The two are in the throne room, a humongous chamber which has always felt cold and depressing to the teenager.

"Yes, Milord," Riku replies, the title laying sour on his tongue. He looks down at the floor, with one knee bent on the ground and the other bent up, both at a ninety-degree angle.

Kujou glares down at Riku and scoffs, "Hm, very well." He then continues, "As I was saying, we will invade the Ousaka region once we diminish Takanashi's troops. Yaotome is too weak to send troops at the moment, so we are at a standstill at the moment. Luckily, they wish for us to send someone to them to negotiate, which will be the Prince, of course."

_Tenn-nii…_ Riku calls out in his head, a small requiem sung for their severed connection. He gulps and then nods, which causes his long ponytail to move from his back onto his shoulder.

"That means you will keep fighting against Takanashi's forces for now," Kujou goes on in a stern tone. "Do remember to visit the Commandant at times in order to keep yourself updated."

"Yes, Milord," Riku replies again, in a monotone voice. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"If there was, I would have told you," Kujou replies harshly. "Now, go off and rest. You do know that you will fight again in two days time, unless we were to be ambushed. That is all."

"Yes, Milord." Riku then stands up and turns around, catching a glimpse of Tenn behind Kujou. With his heartstrings pulled from the sight of his brother, he walks away quickly and orderly. He pushes the chamber's large doors and closes them with a loud and echoing thud. 

Riku has the fortress memorized in his head, like a map read from memory. After years of living in it, of course he knows each nook and cranny. The redhead walks left, slowly traversing through the long corridor.

Every time the assassin talks to Kujou, he can't help but think back to when he and Tenn were separated from their parents, when he was separated from Tenn. He can't help but think about running back to his parents and abandoning his brother with the king. Will it be worth running away after being stripped of his old life for six years? Besides, it's not like he can run away at anytime, he'll be killed. The teen can't help but cry about wanting to connect with Tenn again, just like the close brothers they used to be. However, they can never be close to each other anymore, they can never connect.

Over the years, Kujou has been having Tenn wrapped around his finger. After they got separated, the man made Tenn as Prince of the kingdom. The longer he stayed with the man, the more he believed him. Now, he looks down on Riku just like the king.

The redhead slightly shakes his head and looks forward. _I shouldn't think about this right now,_ he tells himself. Riku stops walking as he spots a familiar door next to him and turns toward it. He knocks the door twice and waits.

"Come in," a voice calls out from inside. The teen opens the door and walks into a cozy, warm room, closing it behind him. The room is lit by a lantern on the middle of the ceiling and a fireplace on the left of the room. Books line all around the back and right sides of the room and two chairs are placed near the fireplace, one rocking chair and one plush armchair.

In front of him are two people, the kingdom's strategist and a young girl. The strategist is a boy around Riku's age with black hair and grey eyes. His uniform is a buttoned down midnight blue coat with Kujou's golden crest on the left side of his chest. Golden buttons line down the middle and black details wraps around the sleeves and body. Badges of honor are pinned underneath the crest to show them off. The boy is staring at maps lined with little wooden pieces on top, all laid on a large table. The girl is younger than the two and has blue hair as well as blue eyes. She is wearing a white frilled dress with long, thin sleeves and is sitting in the armchair with her head down.

Riku knows them well; Iori Izumi and Aya Yotsuba, also known as Aya Kujou. They, too, were separated from their family. Iori was taken from his parents and older brother at the age of 14 due to rumors spreading about his prodigal thinking. Aya was taken from her older brother and caretaker at the age of 13 and made royalty, just like Tenn.

"Where is the Commandant?" Riku asks Iori, his eyes scanning the room. There's no sight of the mentioned man.

"The Commandant left a little while ago," the raven replies. "I would have gone with him as well, however, he wanted me to keep Prin—I mean, Aya company." He catches his mistake quickly, then looks back down at the maps and moves a wooden piece across a map. He then shakes his head and moves it back where it originally was.

"I see, I see," Riku says while nodding his head. "Well, I'll come back again later. I'm too exhausted to find him, at the moment." He turns around and starts to walk away, but stops midstep. "Oh yeah!" he exclaims as he turns around again and walks toward Aya. "One of the cooks in the kitchen gave me this. It's untouched leftovers from when they tried to cook a recipe from another part of the world! I thought I should give this to you since Tenn-nii keeps feeding you sweets." He hands her omurice wrapped by thin paper. The redhead sheepishly chuckles as he notices that ketchup is smeared all over it. 

Iori watches from the side as the girl's face glow up with happiness when she unwraps it. "Thank you, Riku!" she says with gratitude, before digging in. 

Satisfied, the redhead walks toward the door once again. He's smiling, which is rare, unless he's with those two. They're his only friends in the castle, the only people who've experienced nearly the same as him. That's why they're the only people who know that Tenn is his older twin brother.

Well, except one person. Out of everyone in the fortress, himself included, Riku only trusts three people. However, he is not one of those three people. 

* * *

The redhead walks into his room, legs wobbly. He removes his thin gloves, his uniform, and his heeled boots. The teen sighs and sits on the bed, his head bowed down. He paints a frown on his face, his mind racing with the same thoughts he thinks every day. Besides, nothing is ever easy as an assassin. Especially for one with a tragic past, ripped away from his parents and cut off from his twin.

Tears pooled into the teen's eyes, threatening to fall. He breaks out a small chuckle, sad and broken. He wipes his tears and looks up, straight at the bare ceiling. Sometimes he wonders what he's been doing is really worth it. 

He looks forward, staring at the same things which greet him every time he wakes up in the morning on his bed. It's all what one would normally have in their room. A drawer, various effects on said drawer and clothes in that drawer. What one would not normally have are weapons lining up next to a drawer.

However, what always stands out in Riku's vision is himself, his reflection. A large, oblong mirror stands in front of the redhead, the reflection of himself as well as the bed greeting him. This mirror isn't crystal clear. Visible cracks webs along the edges of the mirror and various small scratches can be noted here and there. Damage was done not only to Riku, but to the mirror as well.

The redhead sits up and reaches toward his bedside drawer in order to retrieve a hair tie. He stares as the reflection of his hair and ties it into a tight bun. He feels more weight carried by his head, however, he feels more comfortable and free because of the lack of excess hair. Riku feels more at ease when he wears a bun, compared having his hair tied in a loose ponytail. He then leans toward the mirror and smiles at his work.

While staring at his reflection, Riku frowns. Fiery ruby eyes stare back at identical ones and his expression mirrors the other's. His frown turns into a scowl and he immediately retracts back, flat on the bed again. The thoughts about Tenn and his family completely escape as he stares at the mirror. He has another demon to think about.

Riku isn't staring at himself, he's staring at Erin. The reflection's scowl transforms into a grin, one the Cheshire cat would wear. It never leaves as Riku scrambles back toward the pillows on his bed. Erin stares at him with glowing, yellow eyes. A fire was ignited and now burns from the other's eyes. Riku can see red everywhere on Erin, on the mirror. The kunais he wields are strapped around his waist. Blood stained his clothes and his maniacal smile shined brightly as blood began to drip from reappearing and disappearing wounds on his face and body. His hair, which was previously tied in a bun, was now a long ponytail again.

The redhead screams loudly, shaking his tiny room and scrambled for something, anything, on his bedside table. He then settled for a book and threw it at the mirror again. At the sound of glass shattering, Riku looks up and calms down. It is only a mirror, and he isn't Erin. He takes deep breaths and calms down from hyperventilating. 

Then, he hears two soft knocks from his door. With a sigh, Riku calls out, "Come in!"

A young woman who looks the same age as him walks in, worry struck on her face. She closes the door tentatively and waddles toward Riku. He waits for her to slowly make her way as he is used to her coming in like this, and appreciates it. The blonde teen is Tsumugi, one of the fortress' young caretakers. She moves a stray strand of her hair away from her face and asks, "Are you alright, Lord Riku?" She takes a look around the room, specifically where the mirror is, and moves her hand to rest on Riku's. "I heard you screaming. Do you want to talk about it?'

Riku smiles and replies, "I am alright, and, yes please." He then frowns again and continues, "I'm scared that I might be going crazy at this point," and tops it off with a chuckle. Laughing at his cynical humor, Riku says with gratitude, "Thank you for always caring for me, Tsumugi. I wouldn't have been sane without you." He reaches for the back of his head and feels his bun, which was never untied in the first place.

Tsumugi tries to chuckle with Riku and replies, "Ah, you're welcome." She frowns and continues, "Is it about Erin again?" She takes Riku's hand onto hers and strokes his hand, creating a comforting feeling for him.

Riku's lips purses together as his eyes wandered around as if he was looking for something, as if he was looking for an answer. "Yes, well—" Riku cuts himself off as tears started flowing down in rivers. He lets go of her hand and moves back before dropping down. He lays his head on her lap and curls into himself. Despite being the same age, she had always have this motherly and soothing aura around her, and despite her awkward personality at times. "I keep imagining myself as Erin, the name Kujou gave me, that assassin who keeps showing up as me. I'm sorry Tsumugi, I know you hate it when I say this, but I have to confess: I am a killer. I hate that I am a killer. I have ruined so many lives and so many families. I'll forever continue to be stained with others' blood due to my actions. I am Erin, forever Kujou's killer assassin."

The young woman breathes in and thinks of a response. "You may have killed people, Riku, but you're not Erin. You're not a killer who kills for fun. I know this because I know you, Riku," Tsumugi replies, her pink rose eyes glistening with hope. She turns him around to face her. The redhead's eyes are glassy and his face is wet, as well as red. "If you hate that you've killed people, then you're a good person."

Riku continues to ramble, "But I'm scared I'll fall apart into this—this perpetual alter ego. You know this, too: whenever I get the chance to kill someone I immediately 'switch personalities' and kill them. That's why I'm so feared on the battlefield. I don't even feel like I'm the one fighting and I can barely remember my fights lately. It's like my bloodlust is an identity of its own, but I can never identify it other than as 'Erin'." He places his hand on his face. "Who even am I…? Who is Erin?" he asks, mostly to himself.

"W-Well," Tsumugi starts off slowly, processing what Riku said. "I think that Erin is a part of you. I'm not saying that you are a bloodthirsty killer, but if you keep fighting him, I have a feeling something bad might happen. I'm not sure if you know this, but Erin isn't completely about being bloodthirsty. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who noticed this, but I think the assassin Erin is a personality you made up due to what is expected of you. But, he had manifested into a conscious being for you to cope with—" She quickly puts her hand on her mouth. "Ah, you're the one who's supposed to ramble—I've read it somewhere, so I thought I would..." Tsumugi apologizes and puts her hand down.

Riku shakes his head and replies, "It's fine." He sits up, head tilted downward as he stares at nothing in particular. "I see what you mean. Kujou made me an assassin as a young teen, expecting to kill everyone in my path." He scratches his head. "And those expectations manifested into Erin, like a persona to keep up the act. And that persona became his own separate person." 

He immediately whips his head toward Tsumugi, the latter flinching. "Thank you very much, Tsumugi! Thank you for calming me down and talking to me, it was very needed." He holds her hands dearly.

"A-Ah, it was nothing!" Tsumugi stutters as her face goes red. With a smile, she replies, "I did the best I can do, Lord Riku." 

The two smiles at each other as they enjoy this small moment of peace. Riku can feel Erin smile within him and can imagine a humble laugh bubble up inside.

Kujou's fortress will never smell like home. It will never sound like home, either. Mainly, it has and will never look like home.

However, his friends are his home now. They are what he has.

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes you need someone else to realize that having alters is fine. Especially when said alter manifest from years of killing screwing you over.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!! As I said, I really enjoyed writing the fic and working together with [Sol](https://twitter.com/luna_yumizuki). Please support them by liking and retweeting their art! [Here (NOTE: Unedited)](https://twitter.com/luna_yumizuki) is their own tweet with their art for the Flash Bang ;w;
> 
> Hey, please check out my other fic ([Destiny: Ablaze](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20298655)) and the fic I drew for ([Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20288137) by [seke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seke)) which were written for this year's Flash Bang! Also, please check out my fic from the previous year's Flash Bang ([Death's Doorstep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16729863)) as well as the fic I drew for last year ([the distance only he sees](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16793251) by [jeien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeien))!
> 
> \---
> 
> Check out my stuff, if you want!
> 
> [IDOLiSH7 Discord server](https://discord.gg/edv8r9T)  
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> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/_nuggete)  
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